Three Earring Patterns

Just finished beading this pendant

I just wanted to share a quick pic of this pendant (pattern here) I just finished.  The pattern is from Vezsuzi, and if you haven't checked out her blog you really should.  Don't let the Hungarian put you off - the blog is full of beautiful beady eye candy.  Her work is exciting and gorgeous.

I also more patterns coming up to share with everyone.  Happy Easter and Blessed Ostara!

Late Easter Bunnies Bracelet

I had planned on having these sugary sweet marshmallowy treats ready for Easter publication, but sometimes I just procrastinate.  A lot!

I figured better late than never, so I hope you enjoy this bracelet.  (The small bunnies worked in free form,  would make cute earrings!)

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, no matter what you celebrate!

Leafy Pendant

This free form leafy pendant would look lovely suspended from a length of delicate chain.  I would either attach a jump ring to a couple of beads on each end (Make sure you reinforce those beads big time with Fireline!)  or perhaps start a delicate beaded strand from each side.

I think this piece has a bit of a nouveau feel to it, and would compliment a revealing neckline!

I'm Baaack!

Spring is back and so am I!

I know it's been a long hiatus, but some times real life just takes over.  I now have a Mac version of Beadtool and have started back to designing patterns.

I also have some other pieces I have made during my downtime.  I plan on photographing them in the next few days and sharing.

Cute Foxes!

These cute little foxes would also be adorable worked in free form, without the back ground.

Angel ornament and bracelet

Since it's not too early to get started on ornaments and gifts for Christmas, here is an angel ornament to work in free form brick stitch.

I would recommend stiffening this piece and attaching a piece of mono filament to each wing tip.  Knot the two pieces of filament to a hook to hang it by.  Trim the ends and cover them with a tiny red ribbon bow.

There are lots of ways to stiffen a piece of beadwork. Since I have heard both pros and cons for each of them I will give you a list to read up on them and decide what is best for you.

Future® floor finish (wax) method
Restitch the piece until it is stiffened (This is not always an option on brick or peyote pieces.).

Fingernail polish

AIleene's Stiffener products.

Apply the work to a piece of fabric with plastic, wire, or pellon sandwiched inside.

Personally, I usually try to work a bit snugger on work I know needs to be firm, and use as large a weight of Fireline as I can to give the worked piece body and firmness.  Often this is enough.
Here is the same design  in a chart for a bracelet.  It would make a nice piece to wear around the holidays.  There is space underneath the angel to add the year.

Santa ornament

It's not too early to be thinking about making ornaments for Christmas.  This is a free form Santa with a very long beard to work up.  He should come together quite quickly in brick stitch.

small, free form beetle scarab

I've been doing a lot of looking at Egyptian jewelry lately for inspiration.  This is based on a large pendant of gold, lapis lazuli, and enamels.  The colours are every bit as rich today as they were 1000's of years ago. 

This is a small piece that would make a very nice pendant or pen.  It would also look very pretty in your hair, attached to a small hair clip or bobby pin.

mouse peeking out of a pocket

It's tiny and cute and would make a sweet pendant or pin.

09-12-2010 update:  I looked at this and realized there are two beads missing along the upper edge of the left ear!  I will go edit this and try to get an updated chart posted. - G.

More treasures from Ronit: Gorgeous Valentine Project.

As I mentioned in the previous post, Ronit, (Who has to be the best bead fairy ever!) can take the most simple of patterns and turn it into a real "WOW" of a treasure. I can't say often enough how her work illustrates thinking out side of the box - or the square basic pattern.

This pattern started with the basic heart square below, that is part of the Bead Quilt pattern collection to raise money for breast cancer research (It's not too late yet!!). From there, Ronit manipulated the pattern and shaped the free form heart with the open accent area. For the bracelet the motif was reversed and repeated.

Here's is an example of not just going beyond the basic pattern, but taking it an extra step. I feel that it has evolved to become a new pattern entirely and want to make sure Ronit gets load of credit here for the awesome work she does. I humbly feel that the heart motif is only a very small part of the final creation.

The necklace strap is an Apache leaf variation. I need to go look at my email to get the addy and paste it here, so it will be a little bit.

Please enjoy this eye candy for Valentine's day, courtesy of Ronit.

Ronit's version of updated ying yang

In an earlier post I updated the pattern of the Ying Yang, based on advise by Ronit. As most know - Ronit is one of my favorite bead fairies - She always makes my patterns look so much cooler and takes them an extra step beyond the basics (More on that in another post - wait till you see how awesome her final piece is!)

I wanted everyone to see her gorgeous necklace and bracelet (from the first version of the ying yang pattern). Ronit does such awesome work and when I got the pics from her showing the final piece I knew I had to share.

Just to remind everyone - Ronit has a site where she sells some of her patterns and stuff.

http://www.readytobead.com/index.php?searchStr=ronit+florence&_a=viewCat

It would be a great thing to go by there and check it out. The link is in the list of beady links over on the right.

girl scout emblem

I worked this up as a freebie - I came across a request for a pattern to use as a gift for graduating girl scouts. This makes a great ornament, pendant, or work up several to wrap around a glass ball ornament.

Surviving Winter Doldrums part 3

Yay!! I just finished the design - "Winter Doldrums" that I posted as my first Blog entry, at the first of year. I know I am pretty slow at finishing things -(Too Many projects all going at once!) But every once in a while, I do finish something!

I especially had fun coming up with a necklace that went with all the bold color, without being too heavy. I ended up with this design, that is a modified RAW.

The main things I had to keep in mind when I designed this was to try and keep the elements balanced between shape and colour. I also wanted something very spring - summery to get me out of my winter funk. Of course it took me until Spring to finish it; but everytime I looked over at my bead board, I had bright cheery beads and shapes to cheer me up.

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley in Beads Flat Samantha in Beads

For those who have kids in their life, there's a good chance you have heard of Flat Stanley, or even had a visit from him. For us, he seems to be a perenial second grade visitor for each of my three girls.

In brief, for those who aren't familiar - Flat Stanley is squished flat by a bullitin board. He goes about having adventures, until he decides he wants to go back to regular. His brother pumps him back up to normal with a bycycle tire pump, and all is well again.

What does this have to do with BEADS!???

Since this is the last time Flat Stanley will be visiting us for a while, I decided to commemorate with a bead pattern! So here is beaded Flat Stanley and beaded Flat Samantha (his sister).

To read about Flat Samantha's visit to Milton to see Big Steve and Melin, go here -- She had a great time and the pictures are priceless! I think The grandparents had as much fun as Flat Samantha, during her visit. :)

Flat Samanth's Visit - part 1:

http://mixedsoup.blogspot.com/2008/05/flat-samanthas-visit-to-milton-part-1.html

Flat Samantha's Visit - part 2:

http://mixedsoup.blogspot.com/2008/05/flat-samanthas-visit-to-milton-part-2.html

Flat Samantha's Visit - part 3:

http://mixedsoup.blogspot.com/2008/05/flat-samanthas-visit-to-milton-part-3.html

To learn more about Flat Stanley go to his official website:

http://www.flatstanley.com/

maple wings

Spring has just begun to sneak in upon us - I love all the colours!! Down the driveway, the red maple put out it's seed pods - we called them helicopters when we were little. Now I hear them called maple wings. I couldn't resist making something to evoke the fun I associate with these things.

I plan on making several more for a necklace. I thought it would good to include the pic I took which I used as a basis. Having finished this one, were I to go back and do it over, I would use the darker colour of green on the bottom and the lighter on top to better make it look more rounded. Sometimes you have to make mistakes and get messy to learn something!!

My Heart is yours...

This has been one of my favorite designs I have done so far. I wanted to play on the fact there are so many "heart" patterns out portraying the more typical heart design. I also wanted something a bit more graphic and edgier.

I am still trying to decide what design to go with for the strap. This beads up pretty fast as well. The pattern uses mostly peyote, with the bits sticking out done in brick.